AMS of natural 236U and 239Pu produced in uranium ores

NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS & METHODS IN PHYSICS RESEARCH SECTION B-BEAM INTERACTIONS WITH MATERIALS AND ATOMS

卷:259

Article; Proceedings Paper

Wilcken, K. M. ; Barrows, T. T. ; Fifield, L. K. ; Tims, S. G. ; Steier, P.

关键词: AMS;    U-236;    Pu-219;    uranium ore;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.nimb.2007.01.210

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

The rare isotopes U-236 and Pu-239 are produced naturally by neutron capture in uranium ores. Here we measure U-236 and Pu-239 by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) in the same ore samples for the first time. To ensure efficient extraction of both elements and isotopic equilibrium between the Pu-239 in the ore and a Pu-242 spike, we developed a new sample preparation protocol. AMS has clear advantages over previous methods because it achieves better discrimination against molecular interferences with higher sensitivity and shorter counting times. Measurements of U-236 and Pu-239 hold considerable promise as proxy indicators of neutron flux and uranium concentration. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

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